Three Races That Have Shaped My Running Career

Every so often a race leaves a lasting impact on you that’s far more than just a good time or a nice win. Over the past 14 years of my running career, there are three races that stand out as defining moments to me.

The first race was way back when I was a freshman in high school. All year I had wanted to make the State meet in the 1600, which meant I need to run a time of 5:26.0 or faster. I had consistently been running in the 5:40s and 5:50s throughout the season, and the week before the regional meet I ran all out to hit a PR of 5:39. But that was still a whopping 13 seconds away from the time, and I only had one week. I had never really tried race visualization before, but that week I focused more than ever on imagining running a 5:26 and believing 100% in my ability to do so. I had a white board in my room, and each day my Dad would draw a little picture of a train, the little engine that could. And above it he would write “I think I can, I think I can, I know I can, I know I can, I will, I will”.

Return the Mile to prominence on the American & worldwide sports and cultural landscape by elevating and celebrating the Mile to create a movement.

ELEVATEBring Back the Mile as the premier event in the sport, and increase interest in and media coverage of the Mile for both those who love the distance as well as the general public.

CELEBRATEBring Back the Mile to celebrate the storied distance and to recognize the people who made and make the Mile great and to promote Mile events and the next generation of U.S. Milers.

NATIONAL MOVEMENTBring Back the Mile to create a national movement for the Mile as America’s Distance, to inspire Americans to run the Mile as part of their fitness program and to replace the 1600 meters at High School State Track & Field Meets across the country.

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